Improvement in apparatus and processes for distilling oil



patati @da WILLIAM G. WARDEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 110,806, dated January 3, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS AND PRQCESSES FOR DlSTlLLlNGiOllu..

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

I, WILLIAM G. WA EDEN, of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State ofPennsylvania, have invented an Improved Oil-Still, of whichv thefollowing is a specification.

Nature and Objeotof tile Intention.

My invention consists of an oil-still, constructed and operating in amanner too fully explained hereafter to need preliminary explanation,the main object of my invent-ion being the extraction of allthe'volatile matters from the oil, the saving of fuel, the preservationof the still from rapid destruction by the action of the re, and acontinuons distillation when desired.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

General Description.

A is the furnace, which, in the present instance, is of a circular form,and at the base of which are three tire-places, a c a, all communicatingwith the interior of the furnace and with a fine, b, by which theproducts of combustion are carried off to-the chimney c.

On the arched top'of the furnace bears a ange, el, secured to the stillB, which consists of a long hollow cylinder of plate-'iron or steel, thesaid cylinder passing entirely through the furnace, through the base ofthe same, and terminating within a chamber, D, formed beneath vthefurnace.

A pipe, E, extends from the upper end of the still B, through astuffing-box, d', on the tank G, and, within the latter, communicateswith a worm, F, the tube of which passes into another tank, H,containing cold water, and is there coiled into another worm, F', and

nally passes through the said tank.

From the top of the tank G a pipe, h, passes into the tank H, is therecoiled, and passes from the tank,

.as shown in fig. l. l

Oil is introduced from an elevated reservoir, X, into the tank G,through a pipe, fi, bent at the end, and furnished with a cock connectedto a float-lever, by

. means of Vwhich the oil is maintained at a uniform Ordinarypetroleum-stills consist of large vessels, directly to the under side ofwhich theproducts ,of combustion are applied, and from the bottom ofwhich the residuum is withdrawn through what is known as a t-arpipe,7which extends below, and is protected from, the fire. Owing toVV theapplication of the heat to the lowest part of the still, an incrustationof the residuum collects on and adheres to the lbottom of the vessel tosuch an extent that notonly is an enormous quantity of fuel required toimpart the desired heat to the still, but the rapid destruction of thelatter, owing to the presence of the non-conducting incrustation, takesplace.

It will be observed that a portiononly of the still B is exposed to heatin the fire-chamber of the furnace, the lower portion below the samebeing a receptacle for the retention of the residuum, which, being freefrom exposure to direct heat, cannot becomeincrusted, but may be drawnoif, in a iuid or semi-duid state, through the pipe n when the still isto be cleansed.

A ange, p, is secured to the still, at or near the, roof of the chamberD, and the hole in the base of the furnace, through which the stillpasses, is larger in diameter than the still itself, so that there maybe an intervening annular space for the reception of a body of sand,which, resting on the ange p, `.will form a suciently tight joint toprevent air from gaining access to the furnace from the chamber below'.At the same time the packing will permit the still to expand andcontract without injuring the base or other part of the structure ofwhich the furnace is composed.

If desired, a packing of clay might be interposed between the flange pand the roof ot' the chamber D.

As the oil of the tank G is exposed to the hea-t ofthe vapor-pipe E andvworm F, it will be deprived of its water and other impurities, whichmay settle at the bottom, and can be drawn off through a cock, fw. Atthe same time the heat of the oil in the tank G is not .too great toprevent it from acting as a'condensing or partially-condensing mediumfor the Vapor which passes through the worm F, the complete condensationbeing accomplished in the worm F', which is exposed to the cold watercontained in the tank H.

The heat imparted to crude petroleum in the tank G will be sufficient togive off benzine vapor, which, passing through the pipe'h, will becondensed in the worm h', contained in the water-tank H. This worm andpipe will not be needed in distilling tar or residnum of crudepetroleum, although they could be used to advantage when the residunmhas been mixed with heavy benzine for rra-distillation.

Different qualities of oil require diderent degrees of heat to enable itto throw oii" the benzine in the tank G. Vhen a greater heat is requiredfor this purpose than that afforded by the vapor-pipe, I introduce steamor superheated steam into a c oil in the tank, to facilitate thegeneration of benzine vapor; and when the heat ofthe vapor-pipe E is toogreat, I introduce into a casing, V, which surrounds it, cold water, thewater entering through a pipe from below, and escaping through anotherpipe above, and the circulation of the water being regulated iuaccordance with the desired temperature of the oil in the tank G.

One of the most important features of' my invention is the peculiararrangement of the `still within the heating-chamber of a furnaceanarrangement which tends to preserve the still, and lessens theconsumption of fuel, while that portion of the still beneath the pointwhere the fire is applied ali'ords a receptacle below the re of such asize as to retain all the heavier particlesfrom which the volatilematters have been removed. This arrangement .may be modified, as shownin iig. 4, in which case the still is supported on the base ofthefurnace; or the-Still may rest with its extreme lower end on anappropriate foundation, in both of which modications it will benecessary to so joint the vapor-pipe E as to permit the upward expansionof the still when exposed to heat. For this reason I prefer to supportthe still on the roof of the fur nace, so that it may be at liberty toexpand down- Award without disturbing the vapor-pipe.

In some instances the still may be inclined instead of vertical, asillustrated in the diagram, tig. 5, the arrangement of which will bereadily understood without explanation; in all cases, however, theimportant feature of exposing 'the central portion of the still only tothe fire, so that the portion below. may be a receptacle for retainingthe residuum, being in all cases adhered to.

It will be seen, without further description, that the process ofdistillation is continuous in the apparatus above described In ordinarystills the oil is generally introduced at or near the top, so that theheavier matters, which gradually sett-le to the bottom, are notdisturbed, and, being subjected to a 'constant excessive heat, becomecoked, coating the heated portions of the still to sucha thickness as toeectually prevent the transmission of heat to the remaining contents ofthe still. (,n

cleansing the still these heavy matters are withdrawn, and are'subsequently subjected to a second process of distillation to removethe volatile portions; these operations being repeated until all, ornearly all, the volatile matter is extracted. By my improvement thisresult is effected at one operation, for the continued the heavierparticles from the receptacle may be created by other means.

Another important feature of my invention is the application of heat tothe vertical parts of the still, which thus aford no lodgment for theheavier mat-ters, so that incrustation is prevented and the cciency ofthe entire heated surface of the still is maintained.

Claims.

1. The process.of distilling oils', &c.,by subjecting the same to theaction of heat in 'a vessel, a portion of which extends below the lire,and in which a con stant upward current from the said lower portion ismaintained, as described.

2. An oi1-still suspended or otherwise arranged within a furnace, sothat a portion of the body ofthe still will project below thetire-chamber, forming a recep tacle4 for retaining the heavier particlesbelow thel point where the heat is applied.

3. The combination of the subject-matter ot' the preceding claim andafeed-pipe, on, communicating with the still near the bottom of the same,as set l forth. t v

4. The combination of' the furnace A and its lireplaces, the chamber D,and still B, supported on the roof of the furnace, and passing throughthe same into the saidchamber D.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM G. NVARDEN.

Witnesses:

HARRY WARDEN, WVM. A. S'rnnn.

